TERMINAL POSITION ASSURANCE MEMBER FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR
A connector assembly is comprised of a connector housing and a terminal position assurance member (TPA). The connector housing has a latch which abuts with a tine on the TPA. The terminal, when received in the fully inserted position, deflects the tine, and the TPA may move to its fully locked position.
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This application is related to application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket E-AV-00426) concurrently filed herewith, the entirety of which is incorporated herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe subject application relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a connector system having a terminal position assurance member (TPA).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn various applications of electrical connectors, devices are utilized to lock the terminals in place and to assure that they are in proper position within the electrical connector. One such field is in the automotive field where the application typically a terminal position assurance mechanism (TPA) which assures that the terminals are in proper position longitudinally within the respective cavities. This prevents an improper mating of a corresponding electrical connector, where some of the lines are open due to one or more terminals not being fully loaded.
Certain electrical connectors are provided with housings having cavities extending therethrough for receiving terminals, each cavity provided with a resilient locking latch integrally molded with the housing for locking a terminal inserted therein. In order to further secure the terminals within the housing, it is common to provide a secondary housing member that is moveable against the locking lances to prevent the locking lances from outwardly biasing. In other words, the locking lances are blocked into their latching position. It is known to provide the secondary member pre-assembled to the housing in a pre-assembly position that allows insertion of the terminals into the connector cavities. The secondary member can then be moved to a fully locked position whereby the terminals are locked in the cavities.
In essence, these TPAs constitute front-loaded wedges that are shipped in a pre-stage position, which are intended to be activated, or moved into their final position, after the terminals are assembled into the housing. The TPA has a pre-locked position, but the TPA senses a partially inserted terminal, not the absence of a terminal. Traditionally, these connectors are shipped in bulk to the end user or harness maker, where the wire harnesses are made, wires crimped to the terminals, and terminals inserted into the housing cavities. Thereafter, the TPA member is moved into the final position. However, one of the shortcomings of present TPA designs is that they are designed to indicate the presence of a partially inserted contact but not the absence of a contact from a housing cavity. Furthermore, it would be advantageous if the TPA were prevented from moving, by way of a positive stop engagement between the TPA and the housing, but where the design also prevents any breaking of the TPA when excessive force is exerted.
Earlier TPA designs are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,827,609 and 7,066,773 which show connector assemblies having a TPA having a pre-latched position preventing inadvertent activation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe objects have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector assembly, comprising a housing member having a housing body portion defining at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough. A terminal retaining latch at least partially overlies the at least one terminal receiving cavity. The free end of the terminal retaining latch has at least one end surface angled relative to a longitudinal axis. A TPA has a tine extending towards the terminal retaining latch when in a pre-locked position, and the tine free end has at least one complementary surface cooperating with the at least one angled surface, and the tine comprises an engagement member thereon. A terminal is receivable in the at least one terminal receiving cavity and engages the engagement member when fully positioned therein.
In another embodiment, an electrical connector assembly comprises a housing member comprising a housing body portion defining at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough. A terminal retaining latch at least partially overlies the at least one terminal receiving cavity. A TPA has a tine extending towards and abutting the terminal retaining latch when in a pre-locked position, and is positionable beneath the terminal retaining latch when a terminal is received in the at least one terminal receiving cavity and fully positioned therein. The TPA and the terminal retaining latch have cooperating and angled interlocking planar surfaces.
With reference first to
With reference now to
With respect now to
As also shown in
With respect still to
With the components as described above, the assembly of electrical connector assembly 2 will now be described. First, TPA 6 is positioned relative to connector housing 4 as shown in
Electrical terminal 12 may now be positioned in entry 16 and moved forwardly to deflect latch 50 downwardly as shown in
It should be appreciated that while the above embodiment shows a concave recess 75 at a free end 74 of the TPA tine 72, and a convex projection 54 at the end of latch 50, that these could be alternated with a concave recess at the end of the latch 50 and the convex tip at the end of the tine 72.
With reference now to
TPA member 106 has tine 170 having free end 175, camming member 176 and camming surface 178. Housing member 104 could have a discrete seal 180 positioned on surface 136 rather than having the seal integrated with TPA 106. In this embodiment, the free end 154 of the latch 150 and the free end 175 of the tine 170 have cooperating angles, defining angled interengaging planar surfaces. For example, the free end 175 is angled rearwardly and downwardly. As such, when an excessive force is exerted on TPA 106, the tine 170 gives way as shown in
Thus, TPA 106 would cooperate with housing 104, in an identical manner as described above with respect to TPA 6 and housing 4, with the exception that TPA 106 and housing 104 would not interlock as shown in
Claims
1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- a housing member comprising a housing body portion defining at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough, and a terminal retaining latch at least partially overlying the at least one terminal receiving cavity, the free end of the terminal retaining latch having at least one end surface angled at an incline relative to a longitudinal axis;
- a terminal position assurance member (TPA) having a tine extending towards the terminal retaining latch when in a pre-locked position, the tine free end having at least one complementary inclined surface cooperating with the at least one angled surface, and the tine comprising an engagement member thereon; and
- a terminal receivable in the at least one terminal receiving cavity and engaging the engagement member when fully positioned therein.
2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the terminal retaining latch is cantilevered forwardly, and the tine is cantilevered rearwardly.
3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the engagement member is defined as a cam member.
4. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch and the free end of the tine abut each other when in a pre-locked position.
5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch and the free end of the tine are profiled to interlock when in a pre-locked position.
6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch has a convex projection and the free end of the tine has a concave recess, the recess being profiled to interlock with the convex projection when in a pre-locked position.
7. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch and the free end of the tine are profiled to release from each other, if an excessive force is exerted on the TPA.
8. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein the free end of the tine is angled rearwardly and downwardly in the longitudinal direction.
9. An electrical connector assembly, comprising a housing member comprising a housing body portion defining at least one terminal receiving cavity extending therethrough, and a terminal retaining latch at least partially overlying the at least one terminal receiving cavity; a terminal position assurance member (TPA) having a front wall with at least one aperture therethrough which aligns with the at least one terminal receiving cavity, a tine extending from the front wall and towards and abutting the terminal retaining latch when in a pre-locked position, and being positionable beneath the terminal retaining latch when a terminal is received in the at least one terminal receiving cavity and fully positioned therein, the TPA and the terminal retaining latch having cooperating and angled interengaging planar surfaces; and an electrical terminal positioned in the at least one terminal receiving cavity and aligned with the at least one aperture.
10. The sealed connector of claim 9, wherein the tine comprises an engagement member thereon profiled for contact by a terminal receivable in the at least one terminal receiving cavity.
11. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the terminal retaining latch is cantilevered forwardly, and the tine is cantilevered rearwardly.
12. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the engagement member is defined as a cam member.
13. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch and the free end of the tine abut each other when in a pre-locked position.
14. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch and the free end of the tine are profiled to interlock when in a pre-locked position.
15. The electrical connector of claim 14, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch has a convex projection and the free end of the tine has a concave recess, the recess being profiled to interlock with the convex projection when in a pre-locked position.
16. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein the free end of the terminal retaining latch and the free end of the tine are profiled to release from each other, if an excessive force is exerted on the TPA.
17. The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein the free end of the tine is angled rearwardly and downwardly in the longitudinal direction.
18. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the TPA further comprises a wall which defines an inner surface of the connector assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 29, 2008
Publication Date: Mar 4, 2010
Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation (Berwyn, PA)
Inventors: Galen M. Martin (Camp Hill, PA), Keith Richard Foltz (Duncannon, PA), John M. Whitefoot (Lake Orion, MI)
Application Number: 12/201,435